1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to braking systems for skates and, more particularly, to a braking system for in-line roller skates which biases a brake pad against at least one wheel of an in-line roller skate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Roller skates of the present day bear little resemblance to those roller skates of the past. Present-day roller skates mostly resemble ski boots having a line of plastic wheels down the center of the sole. Originally developed as training aids for hockey players and speed skaters, they are now used by people of all ages and of all occupations, and are most commonly known as Roller Blades after the prototypical brand that dominates the market.
Many users of the in-line skates find that "blading" is an excellent form of aerobic exercise. An hour on skates consumes almost as many calories as an hour of running or cycling, but without the pavement-pounding that running entails. Skates may be used for almost any kind of cross-training, but are particularly useful for people who run more than three times a week as the incidence of foot and leg injuries is greatly reduced by using in-line skates instead of jogging or running.
However, along with the benefits and pleasures gained from the widespread use of in-line roller skates, there are some burdensome problems which have yet to be addressed by the various manufacturers of in-line roller skates. For example, in a story reported originally in the Los Angeles Times, Aug. 1, 1991, at 3, col. 4, a 13-year-old boy was wearing and using his in-line roller skates on a steep section of Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach, Calif. He raced quickly down the hill, but when he tried to stop at the bottom, he lost control, jumped a curb and slipped under a bus that was crossing the intersection. Paramedics said he was killed instantly. The article further stated that the above-described fatality brought to five the number of in-line skaters killed in accidents nationwide over the period 1986-1991. Skaters say that much of the blame for these accidents falls on the salesmen who do not teach consumers how to properly use the skates. For example, in the case of the 13-year-old boy, the salesman did not go over the skates' potential danger in any detail and failed to show him how to stop.
One further note from the above-mentioned article was that skating experts familiar with that steep section of Pier Avenue said that the 13-year-old boy was probably going about 25 miles per hour, a speed that would have required fancy turning maneuvers or at least 30 feet to stop. It is clear from this article that there is a need for a braking system for these in-line roller skates.
There are examples in the prior art of braking systems provided for roller skates. For example, Riggs, U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,781, discloses a braking system for roller skates which engages brake pads with the wheels of the roller skate upon the pulling of a handle 72. However, it should be obvious from examining the Riggs invention that Riggs does not provide for coordinated braking of two skates. Instead, a user of Riggs would have to operate simultaneously two handles 72 to brake two skates, as the invention is disclosed in the Riggs patent. As this would mandate use of both hands, the balance of the user of the roller skates would be severely compromised, and as the majority of people have one hand stronger than the opposite hand, uneven braking would result. This could further disrupt the balance of the skater, causing a dangerously unbalanced situation from which a fall may result. Furthermore, it is clear that the invention of Riggs cannot be adapted for use on an in-line skate as the braking mechanism of Riggs is positioned between the wheels of the traditional roller skate. On in-line roller skates, the wheels are too close together to allow such a braking system, and therefore Riggs could not be used on an in-line roller skates.
Other braking systems for skates have been suggested (see Ickenroth, U.S. Pat. No. 1,371,623, Krausz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,266 or Gates, U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,075) but for various reasons all of these prior art devices are unusable with in-line roller skates presently being manufactured. There is therefore a need for a braking system which may be used with modern in-line roller skates.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate which provides a brake bracket and brake pad mounted on the brake bracket, the brake bracket pivotable to contact at least one wheel of the in-line roller skates.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate which will not interfere with use of the in-line roller skates.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate which will provide equal braking action to a pair of in-line roller skates through the use of a single brake actuator to enable a user to keep his or her balance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate which may be quickly and easily installed on an already produced pair of in-line roller skates.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for an in-line roller skate which will allow even novice users of "roller blades" to quickly come to a stop without requiring intricate turning maneuvers or other such difficult braking maneuvers.
Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a braking system for and in-line roller skate which is relatively simple to manufacture, easy to install and is safe and efficient in use.